Everything hurt when Joe woke up. He groaned as loudly as his headache would allow, covering his eyes from the beam of light that was aimed at his face.
“That will hopefully teach you the lesson of overextending yourself, Healer,” the rope-dancer's voice scolded from somewhere nearby. Joe's senses started kicking in. Peeking out, he determined he was swinging in the hammock of his cubby under the stairs. The searingly bright light came from an unfortunate alignment between the morning sun, the porthole, and his face.
“Now, before those ribs weld together in some terrible way, do you feel up to setting them correctly? I have a new mana charm for you to equip whenever you are ready.” The lilt of her voice gave the sentences an almost musical quality. Joe found himself enjoying the sound of her words before his brain managed to get around to processing their meaning.
“Give me a second,” He grunted, draping his arm over his eyes again. “I need to sort through the thousand and one bits of agony that are all trying to get my attention. Luckily, I have had plenty of practice with that.”
“And just what does that mean? Are you a castigationist?”
Joe lifted his arm enough to peer underneath it at the woman, trying to work that word out. He guessed she meant someone who practiced religious mortification, like flagellation. “Nothing so exotic. I was just dying for a very long time before Haw… the One Above brought me over to your side.”
“So you are a newcomer. And your name is Joe. Is that short for anything?”
“Yeah, Jos…, um” Warning bells went off. He considered making up some ridiculous name that started with 'Jos' but he doubted she would be fooled. He also was far too mentally exhausted to come up with anything good on the fly.
His pause did not go unnoticed.
“I assume you are reluctant to admit it is short for Joseph,” Hah’roo continued. “Joseph Morris to be exact. Given the wanted posters papering Heron’s Reef, I can understand your reluctance to admit it. Let me ease your mind. It is exceedingly rare to see someone spend themselves so thoroughly for the well-being of others. Your actions last night speak of a zephyred soul.”
Those last two words were spoken with a deep earnestness that caught Joe’s attention. He recalled she had shouted something about a zephyr last night. He lowered his arm and, with much groaning, levered his legs over the edge of the hammock. When he was sitting, without the light blinding him, he saw the warrior was shifting nervously from foot to foot.
“What is a zephyred soul?” Joe inquired.
“Someone with a noble heart,” she replied quickly. Joe could tell there was more to this than just some virtuous behavior. As Hah’roo started to pace the small area, Joe waited, leaving her a space to speak into, as she worked out whatever it was she wanted to say.
“My people are split into castes. Most of us are gales or breezes; the warrior caste and the working caste. The boreas are our leaders. Yet in every generation, we are gifted by a few zephyrs. Zephyrs are holy. They instinctively live their lives in the service of others. Most tend to be monks or shamans.”
When she glanced over at him, Joe gave her a nod to keep going.
“Every galeling can sense a zephyr and it is the duty of the gales to protect them. But it is more than just a duty. It is a great privilege. Zephyr guardians typically become our most legendary warriors. The relationship between guardian and zephyr nurtures insights that enable both to rise to soaring heights.”
She stopped pacing and turned, meeting his eyes. “I don’t understand how but you are a zephyr. I was certain when I saw you but, even before that, I sensed something about you the moment I first stepped into Heron’s Reef.”
The troubled woman reached up and scrubbed a hand through her long blue hair. “I was hired by the Golden Edict to track a ‘vile fiend of the Gossamer realms’.” Her tone on those last words dropped into a mockingly deep voice and the pompous cadence of a certain dwarven paladin.
Joe smiled at the impression and asked, “You followed us from Crowfield?”
“No. We sailed into Heron’s Reef this morning and were going to trek north to join the hunt for you. As soon as Azbekt and I got off the ship, I felt the wind tell me you were near. I would have had you in the marketplace but Azbekt had to report to the officials of his order first. By the time those formalities were done you had nearly vanished somehow. I could tell you were still close by, but the wind wouldn’t lead me to you anymore. It was as if it stopped caring you were there.”
She fixed her gaze on Joe, clearly looking for an explanation.
“I had a triviality aura going,” he divulged.
“I thought it was something of the sort. You were not fully hidden just obscured enough that I could only get a vague direction of your whereabouts. I was able to track you to this ship but I couldn’t tell which one of the travelers you were until I saw you on deck later that evening healing the passengers. That was when I recognized you for what you are.”
“So does this mean you are going to let me go?” Joe proposed hopefully.
“I am afraid it doesn’t matter what I choose,” she sighed. “Azbekt now knows you are his quarry. Nothing I could say or do will divert him from exacting his duty. When we reach Peregrine Harbor, he will surely invoke his [Writ of Law] against you.”
“So I need to get off this ship before we pull into port.”
“That would be unwise. The deep waters would be a death sentence for you. Additionally, we are close to reaching our destination. I am sure the paladin has parked himself outside your door and will be watching you like an eagle when you venture up onto the deck,” she remarked direly.
Hah’roo stepped up close to the hammock, backlit by the light coming through the porthole. “You will have to account for yourself one way or another when we get to the city but before then we must deal with your injuries first. Are you ready to mend those ribs?”
“Yeah, let’s get that over with. I want to be able to enjoy my leg irons without the distraction of labored breathing.”
They moved to the trunk, where he could sit without swaying. It was more difficult to point Hah’roo at the breaks in his own ribs both due to the angle and the fact there were so many more of them. The spear had split three ribs front and back and chipped others. Lining the pieces up and sealing them back together took close to half an hour. By the end of it, Joe was sweating and ashen.
“So what is the deal with you two?” Joe asked, gently rotating his arm to feel for any lingering issues.
“I assume you mean Azbekt and me. He and I have worked together several times. We currently have a contract for services. And to one such as him, a contract is a sacred thing. He would sooner cut off his own arm than see it broken or even altered in any manner. Azbekt hired me to track an aberration, you, and bring it back to Peregrine Bay.”
Hah’roo handed him his shirt as she continued speaking. “I have been known to take contracts to hunt outlaws. Every other time I have taken such a commission, once the criminal is found, the contract is considered complete. Not with Azbekt. Since the contract contains the wording “return to Peregrine Bay” in it, the dwarf will not consider it fulfilled until both of us and our captive are standing in the harbor city. So, at the moment, I am sailing back to a port I plan to leave again once I get there because my employer is bound by his unalterable adherence to the finest detail of law.”
“Great,” Joe groused. “Well, even if you can't talk him out of this, I am really grateful you were here. I’m pretty sure the trolls would have killed me if you hadn’t saved my ass.”
“There is no doubt. You are not suited for combat,” she said bluntly. Joe knew it was true but it hurt more hearing it from someone else. But Hah’roo wasn’t done. “But I also think many more would have died if you hadn’t saved them. The Wind moves through us all,” she stated like a mantra.
“What does that mean?”
“It is a philosophy of my people. We believe the good you do for those around you will blow back to you in time.”
“Huh, we call that Karma. ‘Do unto others as you would have them do to you.’ Actually, that’s the Golden Rule, but Karma is pretty much the same thing”
This text was taken from Royal Road. Help the author by reading the original version there.
“The concepts must be similar. We call it Khamseen. The words are too similar to be a coincidence. Khamseen means fifty in the language of the dune tribes. They believe that every action you take, no matter how small, touches at least fifty other lives.”
“That’s taking the idea a bit further … so, you’re saying if I were to pick my nose here in this cabin, alone, it would have an impact on fifty other people.”
“According to the Dunese people, yes. A monk who taught me explained it to me like this. That act would change you; possibly making you feel better or worse, maybe a bit ashamed or relieved or rebellious. That feeling would color the manner in which you interact with others, bringing a change to at least fifty other lives.”
“The fifty part is a bit much for me but I like the idea. As for Karma, I have always taken the idea with a grain of salt. I’m not sure if it actually works but I have always felt it was better for everyone; me, others, the world in general, to act under the idea that what good you put out there comes back around. Even if it adds a bit of self-interest to the equation, it still means that people are trying to do the right thing.”
“I have seen that generosity in your actions last night. This is why when we reach Peregrine Bay, I will stand by your side when Azbekt brings his charges against you. I believe I have earned his respect over the years. I feel he will at least consider my words,” Hah’roo stated, then continued with a sigh. “Unfortunately, he is an utterly intractable creature. His zealotry is excessive even for one of Phealti’s followers. I don’t think I will be able to absolve you of his charges, but I may be able to sway him towards a more measured solution.”
“Thank you, Hah’roo,” Joe said. He took a fairly deep breath without pain and let it back out. “Ok, I’m good enough. Let me take a minute to go through all my advancements and then we’ll see who else needs patching up.”
“Good idea. Take your time. I will meet you on deck.” Moving with her almost unnatural grace, Hah’roo slipped out the door.
Joe took another deep breath. Inside himself, he was a storm of warring emotions. The crushing dread of Azbekt was tempered with an excited thrill that could only mean one thing. Joe opened his block of waiting windows and quickly flipped through the skill increases before getting to the big ones behind them.
Your skill [Steadfast] has increased to rank 4.
Your skill [Deaden Flesh] has increased to rank 5.
Your skill [Efferous Endurance] has increased to rank 24.
Your skill [Assess Creatures] has increased to rank 19.
Your skill [Assess Wounds] has increased to rank 23.
Your skill [Healing Touch] has increased to rank 24.
Your skill [Heart Fire] has increased to rank 10.
You have reached level 6 in your Healer Class. You have gained 1 unassigned attribute point and the following trait and skill.
[Hardy] +1 to Vigor. You have gained 1 common vigor-based skill.
[Healer’s Ward]: When you cast a healing spell you can activate Minor Damage Resistance to all forms of Physical and Elemental damage for 10 seconds plus 0.1 seconds for each skill rank you have with this skill. Additional uses of healing while the ward is active resets the timer. It does not extend it. Cost: Moderate Stamina.
You have reached level 7 in your Healer Class. You have gained 1 unassigned attribute point.
Those two levels of experience exploded through him. Shivers rippled out of his chest and then down his limbs. It felt like that moment after a great massage or chiropractic session where suddenly you were completely aware of your body. The ache in his ribs vanished and he felt wonderful from head to toe. Joe stretched and rolled his neck. Letting out a deep satisfying sigh, he moved on to the last window.
Achievement: You have survived traumatic damage. Your conduct has awarded you the following choice of Traits:
[Ironworks]: You are obviously not wearing enough armor. You will gain the [Heavy Armor] skill
[Death’s Door]: You really need to take better care of yourself. You can advance [Healer’s Ward] to uncommon rank. The ward will provide Moderate Damage Resistance.
Both would help him but heavy armor had no appeal to him and Joe could tell that the second one synergized with some of his existing traits. That made the decision an easy one.
You have selected [Death’s Door] but you do not have any open Vigor skill slots.
Joe assigned one of two remaining unassigned skill slots to Vigor and selected [Death’s Door] again.
[Death’s Door] synergizes with [Punching-Bag] and [Glutton for Punishment]. [Punching-Bag] now has a 15% chance of spontaneously activating and the health threshold increases to 7%. Additionally, [Glutton for Punishment] now adds 20% to combat evasion skills.
He made a mental note to try and keep a point or two unassigned in case this happened again but this time he had one more skill he wanted to learn. If he had taken the heavy armor ability he probably would have skipped [Stealth] but with [Healer's Ward] it was a much better fit. He spent his last free point into Dexerity and retrieved the yellow crystal from his satchel.
You have learned the basic skill: [Stealth]. This skill aids your ability to perform actions unobserved or unnoticed. It applies to movement and hiding, as well as actions such as sleight of hand or thievery.
With his advancements out of the way, there was no real reason for Joe not to leave his closeted sanctuary, but he wanted a minute more before he had to face the judgemental paladin. Looking at the text of his [Healer’s Ward] a question occurred to him.
“Hey, Hawking? What kind of damages are there?”
There are dozens of different damage types which fall into four categories: Physical, Elemental, Spiritual, and Psychic.
“Ok, physical and psychic are easy enough to understand. What’s the difference between the other two?”
Elemental damage, also known as Arcane damage, is derived from energy-based attacks. Fire and lightning are two common examples, but the category also includes more exotic damage types such as chaos or gravity magic.
Spiritual attacks affect a being’s essence or pattern, such as the withering touch of a wraith or the celestial judgment of an archon.
“Thanks,” Joe replied a little woodenly while still staring at the small door.
Trying to think of one more delay, Joe opened his character sheet and looked over the advancements he had made in the last couple days.
PLAYER PROFILE: Joseph (Joe) Morris
Race: Changeling
Level: 7
Experience: 4,156 / 4,760
RESOURCES
· Health: 249 / 249
· Stamina: 741 / 741
· Mana: 123 / 123
ATTRIBUTES
· Strength: 1
· Vigor: 8
· Dexterity: 3
· Perception: 3
· Spirit: 5
Available Attribute Points Unspent: 0
CLASSES
· Primary Class: Healer
· Secondary Class: None
· Tertiary Class: None
SKILLS (Slots / Filled)
STRENGTH SKILLS: (1 / 1)
· [Steadfast] (C) rank 4
VIGOR SKILLS: (8 / 8)
· [Deaden Flesh] (U) rank 5
· [Efferous Endurance] (U) rank 24
· [Healer's Ward] (U) rank 0
· [Stun Block] (U) rank 1
DEXTERITY SKILLS: (3 / 3)
· [Parry] (C) rank 12
· [Staff Expertise] (C) rank 8
· [Stealth] (C) rank 0
PERCEPTION SKILLS: (3 / 3)
· [Assess Creatures] (C) rank 19
· [Assess Wounds] (C) rank 23
· [Coin Catcher] (C) rank 4
SPIRIT SKILLS: (5 / 5)
· [Dispel Rot] (C) rank 2
· [Healing Touch] (C) rank 24
· [Heart Fire] (C) rank 10
· [Purge] (U) rank 1
TRAITS
· [Anyone] (Racial)
· [No one] (Racial)
· [Iron Mind] (Hereditary)
· [Beastmaster] (Achievement)
· [Dancer] (Achievement)
· [Mystic] (Achievement)
· [Overachiever] (Achievement)
· [Punching-Bag] (Achievement)
· · [Glutton for Punishment] (Achievement)
· · [Death's Door] (Achievement)
· [Survivalist] (Achievement)
· [The Seal of Passing] (Prophetic)
He tried to pick up his spirit as he looked over the sheet but he was far too distracted. After barely taking a minute to review the changes, he closed the screen down and glared at the door once more.
As much as he did not want to go out there he knew it was pointless to linger much longer. Sooner or later, the dwarf would bust his way in and drag him out if he tried to hide in there indefinitely. He might as well go out and help anyone else on deck who needed his healing while he still had the freedom to do so.
Joe reminded himself that no matter how bad the paladin was, he was close to reaching the end of this fey bullshit. “This too shall pass,” he muttered but this time it sounded hollow even to his own ears.
With a heavy sigh, Joe grabbed his gear and left his hideout behind.